


Timestamps for Twilight Is For The Dying Stars

by saph



Series: Twilight Is For The Dying Stars [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Angels And Humans, Child Abuse, Collars, Country Seperation, Death, Multi, Non-Sexual Slavery, Sexual Slavery, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-09 14:33:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5543495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saph/pseuds/saph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are a collection of side stories that go alongside the main story, each chapter being a short story that gives us further insight to the side characters that aren't narrated in the main storyline, or that only have a few. The chapters may take place during the current time in the story, or in the past.</p><p>*Must read the original fic to understand most of this*</p>
            </blockquote>





	Timestamps for Twilight Is For The Dying Stars

**Author's Note:**

> There are so many great characters that all deserve their own little bits in this story; I love them all so much. With this, we can all get a little more insight on all of them, see what they're thinking and delve deeper into their personalities.
> 
> More tags will be added with each chapter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childhood days. Castiel and his family have a fun morning in the wintery outdoors, a cozy day indoors, and an evening that not of them had ever seen coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up being longer than I first imagined. Sorry it took so long! I wanted to get it finished last month, but I've had to put other things before it. I don't think you guy will mind though given the word count of this chapter.
> 
> Since this is a chapter from early childhood, I tried to make my writing something close to how a child would see things, so that was interesting.

"Faran come look, it’s snowing!” the four-year-old omega squealed in Enochian as he pulled at the hand of his sleeping father. 

“Castiel,” his mother stirred on the other side of the bed, “why are you up so early? Don’t bother your Faran; he just came home from a night shift.” she scolded him in the same language, voice gravelly from sleep. 

Castiel was too excited to listen. “It’s snowing!” he repeated happily, his tiny downy wings flapping wildly in excitement. 

“Stop pestering him and--”

“It’s okay, Naomi,” his father said to his mate, letting out a small chuckle. He opened his hazel eyes and let out a soft sigh. Dark bags of exhaustion sat heavily beneath his eyes, but his youngest child didn’t notice. 

His mother rolled onto her side, beginning to drift back to sleep. “Just come back to bed soon, you need sleep.”

As his alpha father slowly got out of bed, Castiel smiled widely and giggled with glee and led him down the stairs, his little feet taking one stair at a time. “Come, come!” he said as he tugged his father along. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” his father responded softly. “Do you like the snow, Castiel?”

His son nodded and hummed in enthusiastic affirmation. What wasn’t there to like about snow? It was very cold and turned into water when it touched your skin, and it stung when your brothers threw it at your face, but you could do all sorts of fun things with it and it made everything white! “See, look!” Castiel exclaimed as he raced towards the big living room window, placing his small hands against the pane. 

Big, fluffy snowflakes fell from the dark sky and landed softly on top of the freshly fallen snow that covered their big yard in white. There was so much of it! 

“That’s a lot of snow…” his father observed. 

Castiel looked up and examined his face as he said this, detecting the worry in his features. “Will it keep snowing so much that it will cover the house?” Because _that_ would be a lot of snow. What if they needed to go into town to get something? Or if Gabriel broke his arm again and had to go to the hospital? He didn’t think they’d be able to get out of their house with that much snow. 

Faran knelt down to his level and grinned. “No, I’m sure it won’t get that deep,” he reassured his youngest who looked to him with deep concern. “Maybe it’ll snow _this_ much!” He brought his hand just above his son’s head and ruffled his tousled hair. Castiel giggled. 

“Do you think it’ll snow that much, Faran?” Castiel questioned, eyes wide with curiosity. 

“I guess we’ll just have to see,” his father scooped him up in his arms, letting him look out the window from this new height. 

_That would be a lot of snow,_ Castiel thought and he snuggled into his father’s hold. He didn’t think he could go play outside if there was that much, but it would be fun to try! Maybe they could all go play later, once his brothers and sister woke up. Surely they’d want to play in all this snow with him, and if it snowed so much that it went over his head, his older brothers could carry him. 

“Would you like to go sledding, Castiel?” 

The boy’s eyes lit up. “Really?” he asked with slight disbelief. 

“ _Really_ really.” his father replied with a heart-warming grin. Castiel threw his small arms around his father’s neck as his tiny wings fluttered against his back wildly out of excitement. 

Faran hummed happily and set Castiel back down. “Why don’t you go wake up your siblings and tell them we’re going?” 

Castiel did a little hop before he nodded, and ran up the stairs as fast as he possibly could. His father wasn’t home very much, and when he was, he usually slept before he had to go and work again. He was always working, it seemed. But now, he was going to play with them! He couldn’t wait! 

“Wake up wake up wake up!” Castiel shouted as he ran through the hallway. “Faran’s taking us sledding!” he sang out, repeating it over and over until someone came out of their room. The first to join Castiel in the hallway was Gabriel, soon followed by Anna, then Michael and Lucifer. 

“Is he really?” Gabriel asked, hopeful. 

“I guess you won’t know until you come downstairs, will you?” Faran called up from the bottom of the stairs. Their wings perked up, and all five of them ran down the stairs. 

“Come, let’s get dressed.” Their father lead them to the closet and handed them all their snow gear. Everyone grabbed what they were given and began to bundle up to play in the wintery weather. 

“Lucifer, give me my hat back!” Gabriel demanded, attempting to reach the hat in Lucifer’s hand. 

“Your hat?” Lucifer shrugged. “It’s mine today.” 

“Lucifer…” their father warned, but was too exhausted and a bit busy with his current task to really do anything about it.

Gabriel tried to reach for it some more, but Lucifer would not give it to him. “Fine.” Gabriel took a few steps away from his brother and took Lucifer’s hat from the pile on the floor. “Then this is mine.” He turned his back towards Lucifer, and rubbed the hat against his bum. Everyone except for Lucifer giggled.

“Gabriel!” Faran scolded, but Castiel could tell that he thought it was funny too. 

“You can _keep_ it.” Lucifer said, and put the hat that was once Gabriel’s on his head. 

His father was helping him put on his snow pants when Castiel when his mother entered the room. “Ezekiel, what are you doing?” she asked, arms crossed. 

“I’ll be right back to help you.” his father patted his son on the head and went towards his mother. Castiel watched them with curiosity. 

“You should be getting some rest, not going out and--” 

“I need to spend time with the kids for once. I don’t have time for it anymore, but I can’t let that get in the way of raising our kids. I’m not going to be an absent father to them; they don’t deserve that.” 

His mother brought a hand to his father’s cheek and smiled. “You’re too selfless for your own good. But I can’t let you overwork yourself.”

His father’s brown-to-yellow mixed wings dropped a little. “We need the money, there’s nothing else we can do.”

“I can start working.” his mother insisted. 

“We’ve talked about this, Naomi. You’re already looking after the kids when I’m away, that’s as much as you can do in your state. You can’t put any more stress on your body.” 

His mother’s hand fell from his cheek, looking down in sadness. Castiel didn’t like seeing her sad. He wanted to run up to her and hug her, but he knew that they were having an adult conversation and that he wasn’t supposed to be listening in the first place. He couldn’t help but listen anyway. 

“We will be okay,” Faran comforted, giving her a hug and wrapping her in his wings. He gave her a kiss, and whispered something in her ear. She smiled a bit, and gave his arm a playful smack, letting him return to helping Castiel into his clothes. 

“Is Exera going to be okay?” Castiel asked with concern, referring to his mother in Enochian; their first language; the one they spoke the most.

“She will be okay. We all will.” He kissed his son’s forehead, and helped him put on his red jacket, a hand-me-down from Gabriel, his mittens, hat, boots, and scarf. 

“Cassie, you look like a tomato.” Gabriel snickered. 

“I am not a tomato!” Castiel pouted at him, feelings hurt. Tomatoes were gross! They were too juicy, and they tasted icky. His lip began to tremble and he quickly burst into tears. 

Faran knelt down beside him and placed his hands on his arms to comfort him. “It’s okay, Castiel,”

“I don’t wanna look like a tomato!” he wailed. His siblings stood around awkwardly, some trying not to laugh. That made Castiel cry even harder. 

“You look warm,” his five-year-old sister commented, “it’s just a little bit big on you yet, you’ll grow into it.” 

“I want to be big,” Castiel murmured, sniffling back his tears, “like Faran. I don’t wanna be a little tomato no more.” 

Faran smiled and wiped away his tears. “Maybe one day, dear one, if you eat all your fruits and vegetables.”

“Don’t listen to him Cassie, that’s just a load of grown-up propaganda.” Gabriel told him. 

“Do you even know what that means?” Michael asked. 

“I don’t want po-po-ganda,” Castiel whimpered. He didn’t know what it meant, but it didn’t sound good. 

“Don’t listen to Gabriel, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Faran said. 

“I do too!” his nine-year-old brother argued. 

Their father didn’t comment on that any further. “But right now, we’re going to go sledding, right?” 

That perked the little angel up. Castiel nodded and rubbed the snot away from his nose with the sleeve of his jacket before following everyone outside. His little legs struggled to keep up, the boots and ski pants weighing him down and he walked through the deep snow. But he was not left behind. 

“Want me to carry you?” Faran asked him. Castiel nodded, and up he went into his father’s strong arms. He loved being carried. He loved being wrapped in warm, loving arms, and not to mention being tall - taller than Michael and Lucifer, and they were ten! Castiel reached his hand up to the early morning sky at grabbed at the falling snowflakes, determined to catch every single one. 

His brothers opened the shed and began to take out their sleds. Faran took ahold of the longest one, and placed Castiel onto it. “All those who can fit, pile in.” He spoke to his children. Anna and Gabriel quickly got in behind Castiel, hitting each other with limbs and wings. 

“Aww c’mon Gabe, you should let me ride this time instead of making me carry the rest of the sleds,” Lucifer whined. 

“Nuh uh. I got here first.” Gabriel stated. Lucifer huffed.

“C’mon Lucifer, I’ll race you to the valley.” Michael challenged. 

“You’re on!” 

Castiel watched as Lucifer and Michael bolted past them, accidentally kicking some snow back in his face. He grimaced at the coldness, and tried to wipe as much of it off as he could. 

“Here, turn to me.” Anna said from behind him. He did his best to turn around, but it was difficult with his everything he was in. She took off her mitten and wiped some of the snow and water from his face that he couldn’t. 

“Thank you, Anna.” he said politely. 

Anna smiled. “You’re welcome.” Castiel loved his sister. Sure, he loved his brother too, but she didn’t tease him as much as some of his brothers did. She also played with him the most, but he knew that was mostly because he was closer to her age than his brothers, who liked to play big kid games and said he was too little for them.

Her real name was Anael, but he had always called her Anna ever since he was littler than he was now, and everyone else called her that now too. It was her nickname, just like his was Cassie, and Gabriel’s was Gabe, and Lucifer’s was Luci, and Michael’s was Mike. Everyone had a nickname!

Castiel’s excitement grew as they got closer to edge of the valley. He tried to still his little wings from fluttering too much, but they had a mind of their own as the continued to rub against the front of Anna’s jacket. She didn’t seem to mind; hers were doing the same. 

Already, he could see that Michael and Lucifer has sled down the hill, hearing their playful cheers and shouts as they sled down the hill. He couldn’t wait to go down it! 

They soon came to a stop, and their father turned back to them. “Do you want to go down together in this one, or a different one?”

Gabriel quickly got out of the sled and grabbed his own. “No way am I going with them. They’ll just make me pull the sled back up the hill.” 

“You’ll still have to carry your own up.” Faran mentioned. 

“It’s different.” Gabriel shrugged, taking his own sled and got himself ready to sled down.

“Wanna go down together, Cassie?” Anna asked. 

“Okay!” Castiel replied quickly. 

“Faran, push us!” Anna cheered. 

“Alright,” he came up behind them and lined up the sled with one of the trails that Michael and Lucifer left. “You two ready?” Both children nodded. “Okay, hold on tight.” 

“Race you down!” Gabriel said just before he pushed himself of the edge of the hill, getting a head start.

“No fair!” Anna called out to him just as their father gave them a forceful push, and down they went. Castiel held tight to Anna’s legs as they picked up pace the more they went, his small body rushing with adrenaline. He squinted, snow blew into his as they raced down the hill. Their sled began to fill up with snow as they slid past the point that his brothers had. He and Anna both giggled. 

“We beat you!” Anna said to Gabriel, whose sled had stopped a distance before they had. 

“I demand a rematch!” Gabriel pouted, getting up from his sled and brushing the snow off of himself. Off to the side, Lucifer and Michael stood, watching them and waiting. 

“Again, again!” Castiel cheered, and got up from the sled. 

“Then let’s go,” Gabriel began to march up the hill just as Castiel caught sight of Lucifer charging after him, flapping his wings a few beats into the air and tackling Gabriel into the deep snow. His beta brother squirmed. “Get off of me, asshat!”

“Asshat? You’re the asshat, asshat.” Lucifer said, continuing to wrestle with him. Anna and Castiel giggled at the use of the bad word. 

“Language,” Faran warned from the top of the valley. 

His brothers stopped for a moment, but soon went back to their play. Lucifer grabbed the hat off of Gabriel’s head and was showing signs of preparing to fly away with it. 

“Give me my ass hat back!” Gabriel lunged at Lucifer, causing the both of them to tumble into the deep snow, returning to their wrestling. Castiel looked to the edge of the valley and saw his father shaking his head before going down the hill in a sled of his own, heading straight down towards Lucifer and Gabriel. Anna and Castiel both let out a small gasp as he crashed right into the two. 

“Ow,” Gabriel sat up a bit, “Faran what the heck are you--” 

Faran jumped on his brothers and joined in on the play. Giggles and laughs came from the pile, and Castiel had the urge to go and join them. He followed that urge, spreading his little wings out to balance himself as his small legs ran through the deep snow. Soon, all his children were dog piled on top of him. 

“I can’t breathe,” Gabriel wheezed, being near the bottom of the pile.

“How do you think I feel?” Faran managed to huff out with a smile. 

Castiel had more or less just clung to the pile of bodies instead of piling on. He was too little to climb on top, and didn’t want to get crushed. Instead, he picked up some snow and playfully threw it at his family. 

“Ugh, Cassie, that went in my face,” Michael muttered. Castiel giggled and threw some more, finding it great fun. 

“Okay, everybody up!” Faran groaned from below. Everyone toppled over into the deep snow with sounds of both pain and laughter. Just as their father was getting up from the ground, Castiel threw himself at him with glee. Faran steadied himself with his massive wings and wrapped his arms around his son. 

Castiel looked up to him. “I love you, Faran!” he declared. 

Faran’s eyes shone, a soft smile appearing on his face. “I love you too, dear one.” 

Castiel beamed, and threw his arms around his father and nuzzled into him. Pulling back, he asked, “Will you go sledding with me?” 

Faran nodded, getting up from the ground and extending his hand for Castiel to hold. Castiel took it, and gave it a squeeze. His father picked up the sled he had used, and they began to walk towards the incline of the hill. 

“I want to fly!” Castiel exclaimed. 

“You want to fly?” Faran asked. Castiel nodded, wide grin still plastered on his face. “You’ll get lots of snow in your face.” he stated, but Castiel didn’t care and he insisted again. “Alright,” his father gave in, and knelt down to pull Castiel’s scarf over his mouth and nose. He zipped up his son’s jacket, and pulled at his hat, making sure it was covering his ears. “Ready?”

“Ready!” came the muffled response from the little angel. 

Faran scooped him up with one arm and held onto the sled with the other. “Hold on tight!” Castiel held on as tight as he could and felt a thrill of excitement when his father’s great wings flapped against the cool winter air. Soon, they began to lift off the snowy ground and into the dark morning sky. 

Castiel couldn’t contain a squeal as they quickly ascended skyward. He felt his little wings extend, yearning for the wind to blow through his soft feathers. They didn’t fly very high, but that didn’t matter to Castiel. When they flew, he and the sky became the same being, and it made a feeling form within his chest that he didn’t know what to call, but it was a good feeling. It made him happy, but there was more to it. Snow did get in his face, just as Faran had said it would, and it stung against the little bit of skin that wasn’t covered with tiny needle pricks, but he thought it was well worth the pain when he got to fly with Faran. 

Their flight was not long, and they soon landed at the top of the valley. “Down you go.” his father placed him back on the ground and set the sled down. “Was that fun?” 

Castiel nodded enthusiastically. “It was _very_ fun! When I grow up I want to fly as high as you, Faran!” the little angel declared. “Again, again!” He bounced up and down like the feathery ball of energy he was. 

His father chuckled. “You’ll have to wait until you’re much older to fly as high as I can, dear one.” 

“How old, Faran?” 

“When you decide to mate with some hairy old coot.” Lucifer said just as he landed at the top of the valley. Castiel scowled, though all anyone could see of this expression was his little eyes peeking out in displeasure. 

“No one wants to mate with a hairy old coot, Luci. You’re gonna die a lonely man.” Gabriel said just behind his older brother. 

Their father was about to chastise him for his ill made comment that even Castiel could tell wasn’t very good, but Lucifer spoke before he got the chance to. “You better watch it there, asshat; you’re only a year younger than me.” 

“Five months and eleven days younger, actually.” Gabriel stated proudly. 

“That doesn’t save you at all,” Michael scoffed, shaking his head. 

“You’ll end up just like us.” Lucifer smirked. 

“Please. We’re not even related.” Gabriel spoke. “And we all know I’m more attractive.” 

“Nuh uh. We all know you’re the hairiest and the ugliest.” Lucifer countered. 

“Boys--” Their father tried to cut in, but was interrupted. 

“What are you talking about? I have the face of a lady charmer,” Gabriel pursed his lips and stroked his chin. “And we all know that Michael’s the hairest. My body’s as smooth as a naked mole rat.” 

The sound of laughter echoed across the valley, a welcoming sound to invite the morning as the sun started to peek over the horizon. 

When it died down, Faran place a hand on both Gabriel and Lucifer’s shoulders, face soon turning serious. Both boys stilled, their mischievous expressions dropping. “It’s good to have fun, but there is no need for name calling and foul language. If I hear it anymore from you two, there will be consequences. Do you understand?” 

“Yes Faran,” his brothers said at the same time. 

“Good.” Faran’s serious face lifted, and his brothers relaxed a little it. “Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I want to go sledding. Any of you wish to join?”

“Me! Me!” Castiel jumped up and down.

“I do!” Anna sang out. 

“Let’s make a chain.” Michael suggested. 

Each of them grabbed their own sled and got themselves ready, but Castiel was paired up with his father. He didn’t mind. Gabriel’s sled had begun to slide down the hill before everyone was ready, and ended up taking everyone with him. Michael was the first to lose grip, straying far off to the side and tumbling into the trees, while Castiel and their father broke off and continued their journey down on their own respectable path, but soon stopped as they began to go into the deeper snow. Lucifer had fallen on his side, but he gripped Gabriel’s sled and caused him to tumble off. Anna was the only one remaining on her sled, and managed to carve a long path before hers finally stopped. 

Anna quickly jumped from her sledding and cheered in victory. 

“I would have won if this guy _here_ didn’t ruined everything.” Gabriel blamed, kicking Lucifer with his boot. 

“Well, who was the one that decided going down the hill too early and taking everyone with him was a good idea?” Lucifer mentioned. 

“It was an accident and you know it!” Gabriel bickered. 

Castiel ignored the two, and turned back to his father. “Can we go again?” 

“Sure thing, dear one.” Faran hoisted him up from the sled and held him in his arms, getting ready to take flight once again. 

“Faran, can I go down with you?” Anna asked, running up to the two. 

“The three of us can go.” Faran nodded, picking her up and holding her close in his other arm as he instructed her to hold the sled. “Ready?” 

“Ready!” his youngest children replied expectantly. 

They took flight once more. Castiel’s brother joined in, swooping and diving overhead. His wings began to beat with the need to join them, despite knowing his wings were much too small to carry him. It was a need that was out of his control. 

“Castiel, you must stay still.” Faran said, struggling to keep ahold of him. Castiel couldn’t stop himself as he struggled against his father’s hold. That strong sense had taken over him. “Be still! Castiel please if you don’t settle now you’ll--”

He slipped from his father’s grasp, spreading his small wings out of pure instinct. He was flying! Castiel gave his wings a few flaps and - he was falling! Panicking, his little wings worked away at keeping him in the air, but the ground was only getting closer. He heard shouts coming from above, but before he could make any sense of them he was falling face first into the deep snow, causing fresh powder to rise into the air.

Castiel’s little heart beat against his chest, limbs quickly trying to hoist himself out of the snow. There was too much of it though, and couldn’t move properly with his heavy snow clothes on. It was hard to breathe, and his face was very cold. A shrill cry came from the back of his throat, and the next thing he realised he was being lifted up. 

“Shhh, it’s okay, I got you now,” Faran comforted, holding his youngest close to him and rocked him softly. “Are you alright? Does anything hurt?” 

His only response was more crying. That was so scary! His face was cold and it hurt and he didn’t like it at all! Faran brushed away the water from his face with gentle fingers, the warmth of them bringing Castiel a bit of comfort. 

“I no fly no more,” he cried, burying his face into his father’s neck. 

“Not now, no. But one day you will, when you’re bigger. We will all show you how.” 

“Yeah, don’t worry! There will be no raining tomatoes when you fly with me.” Gabriel grinned. 

Faran glared at him something fierce, and Gabriel quickly backed off. 

“Promise?” Castiel whimpered into his father’s neck.

“I promise.” Faran rubbed his son’s back and turned to his other children. “I suppose we should be getting back then,” 

Castiel’s head quickly shot up and he looked to his father. “No more sledding?” He murmured with disappointment. 

“You still was to sled more after that?” 

Castiel nodded, looking to him with his wide, teary eyes. 

Their father needed no further convincing. “Come, let’s go,” he said to everyone, “but no more flying for you, young man.” Faran pulled a tissue from his jacket pocket and wiped Castiel’s nose.

“Okay.” Castiel was still a bit shaken, but it soon left his attention as the fun carried on.

They played outside well over an hour before they made their way back to the house with cold toes and rosy cheeks. Bits of ice clung to their wings, making them feel the harsh cold all the more. Though cold, all were happy that they were able to spend this time with their father, and quite happy that soon, they would all share breakfast. Castiel was starving! His stomach kept grumbling and rumbling, and he began to think of all the wonderful things he could possibly eat. 

A song lifted into the air as they all made their way back, a happy tune often sung during the winter season. Castiel stood aside as they put the sleds back into the shed, feeling happy that they were able to do this. He may have gotten a little hurt, but that was nothing comparing to the fun that they had. 

“May you three help with shoveling later today?” Faran asked his three older sons. 

They agreed to it, though they didn’t seem very excited about it. 

“What about the driveway? Surely you don’t mean for us to shovel all that snow, do you?” Michael asked, looking slightly frightened at the thought. Castiel knew shovelling snow was a hard job, especially when so much of it covered their long driveway that lead to the gravel road. Sometimes he helped with his little blue shovel, so he understood why his big brother didn’t want to clear it. 

“I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. I just want you to clear the walkways.” Faran replied. His brothers looked relieved, nodded, and all walked towards their house. They shook their wings before entering, trying to get as much ice off of them as they could. Exera didn’t like it when they left ice around the house, which left little puddles of water everywhere. 

As they entered the house, the smells of pancakes and bacon filled their noses. Castiel felt his stomach grumble, and he licks his chapped lips. It smelled so good!

“Just in time,” their mother said just as she turned around the corner of the dining room, “breakfast is just about ready. Please take off your boots before you step anywhere off the rug.” 

It was hard to do that, with all of them trying to take off their snow clothes huddled on the rug. Faran sat Castiel down on a chair kept by the door and helped him take off his boots while he took off his mittens, scarf, and hat. His siblings pushed and shoved at each other, stumbling as they did the same. Snow did end up getting well past the rug, and Castiel hoped that their mother wouldn’t be too displeased with them. 

After this was done, everyone put their things back into their places, though Castiel needed a hand with hanging his jacket in the closet. When everything was put away, they ran into the dining room, but were soon stopped by their mother before they could take their seats. 

“Did everyone wash their hands?” 

A few of them sighed, and left to whatever sinks they could get to first. Castiel made his way to the bathroom, trailing right behind Lucifer. Just as his older brother opened the bathroom door, a shriek came from inside. 

“Jesus Christ!” exclaimed Gabriel. Castiel peeked his head inside and found his brother using using the potty. He wanted to close the door and let him have his privacy, but instead Lucifer just stood there with it wide open. 

“Faran said no more ‘language’.” Lucifer reminded him, unphased by what his brother was doing. 

Gabriel shrugged. “He’s not our Saviour.”

“That can be argued.” Lucifer stated.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Now can you leave and close the door already? I’m trying to take a wizz here.” 

Lucifer ignored him and began to run warm water from the sink.

“ _Really_?” When Gabriel received no response, he let out a heavy sigh and got up from the toilet, walking extremely close to Lucifer with his pants at his ankles. 

“Ew, go away.” Lucifer took a few steps to the side, but Gabriel only got closer. 

“Make me.” Gabriel tried. 

“Gabe, you’re doing a no-no,” Castiel piped up. 

“Yeah, Gabe, stop being gross.” 

“ _You’re_ gross.” Gabriel said with his hands on his hips. Lucifer flicked water at his brother and ran out of the bathroom. Gabriel waddling right past Castiel without looking at him, and chased after Lucifer down the hallway, pants still down to his ankles. 

With the bathroom now free, the little angel brought the stool up to the sink and began to wash his hands, ignored the shouts coming from the other side of the house. Those two were always getting into some sort of trouble, and his parents constantly reminded him not to follow their example. Sometimes he wanted to join in with whatever they were doing, and sometimes he did, but even though it was sometimes fun, he didn’t like getting in trouble. He hummed quietly to himself and he finished up, wiped his hands, and slowly made his way back to the dining room once it quieted down. 

Everyone was already seated at the table, some even filling their plates with food already. Castiel quietly sat down in his seat beside Anna and his mother. 

“Are you hungry?” his mother asked. 

Castiel looked to her and nodded quickly. He watched with excitement as she put three pieces of bacon and a blueberry pancake onto his plate, smothering it with butter before pouring syrup on it, and cut it into bite-size pieces. After everyone else got their share, they sang their thanks, and began to eat. 

“How was sledding?” Their mother asked. 

“It was fun!” Anna replied with enthusiasm, eyes moving to look to her father with adoration. Castiel did the same before putting a forkful of pancake into his mouth, smiling happily. He wished they could do this everyday. 

“Yeah,” Gabriel started, mouth filled with food, “Faran dropped Cassie from the sky.” 

Their mother choked on her food momentarily and their father gave Gabriel a quick glare. 

“You did _what_? Why would you ever drop our son?” She asked, shocked. Castiel bit his lip nervously. 

“It’s not like a meant to; it was an accident!” Faran was quick to reply. 

“Yeah, accident.” Castiel echoed, not wanting his father to get in trouble for something that wasn’t his fault. It was Castiel after all who did not listen. 

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” she fussed, taking his face into her hands and examining every inch of his face. 

Castiel squirmed, trying to shy away from the uncomfortable touching. “I’m okay,” He looked down and bit the side of his cheek. “I just wanna fly,” 

His mother’s concerned lessened, combing her fingers through his messy hair. “You will some day.”

Castiel nodded with a hint of sadness and continued on with his breakfast. He didn’t understand; why did he have wings when he couldn’t use them? Why did he have to wait so long until they’d finally be big enough? His brothers and sister could already fly, though not as high as Faran and Exera could. He didn’t like being little - didn’t like being a _Third_. He knew that was the reason why he had to wait so long. Why couldn’t he be like the rest of his family? He wanted to fly too, though he understood he had to wait. Falling from the sky was not fun. 

After everyone had eaten, Gabriel was tasked with cleaning up, not only for this meal, but for everyone the upcoming week also. He was not pleased at all, but he didn’t do too much complaining, knowing that that would only worsen his consequences. 

“Can you guys _atleast_ take your plates to the kitchen?” Gabriel pleaded. 

Lucifer scoffed, but took his own anyway, Castiel right behind him. “Y’know, you wouldn’t have to do this if you didn’t streak across the house.” his older brother said as he placed his dishes near the sink. 

“Nobody respects art anymore,” Gabriel tisked. 

“Pfft, that’s what you’re calling that?” Michael shook his head.

Lucifer laughed. “You’re an idiot.” 

“Says you.” Gabriel said. “Here Cassie, give me those.” He motioned towards the dishes in his hands. Castiel did as told, and glanced at all of the other dishes on the counter. He couldn’t help but feel bad for his brother. There was so many dishes, it looked like cleaning them all would take forever! Suddenly he was very glad he wasn’t old enough to clean them, especially after always hearing how hard and gross it was. 

Castiel ran off to the living room, finding Faran sitting on the couch reading a newspaper as Anna was drawing at the coffee table. 

“What are you drawing?” he asked his older sister.

“Flowers!” was her reply. He looked down at the paper and he smiled with awe. His sister’s drawings were always so good and pretty. 

“I want to draw too.” Castiel decided.

“Okay.” Anna set a piece of paper on the table for him and moved over. He sat beside her, their wings brushing comfortably as they drew. Castiel wanted to draw flowers too, so he began with a yellow crayon and used other colors as he went. When he compared his flowers to hers, they were nowhere as good and that made him sad. He wanted to be good too, and he had tried so hard! Out of anger, he crumpled his drawing and threw it to the ground, crossing his arms and pouting. 

“What’s the matter?” Faran asked, concerned. 

“I didn’t do good.” Castiel grumbled. 

“It looked fine,” Anna said. 

Faran got up from the couch and grabbed Castiel’s drawing and uncrumpled it with care. Castiel watched as a smile crept upon his father’s face, flattening out the paper. 

“These are very beautiful flowers.” His father told him. 

Castiel was not convinced. “‘just saying that…” he muttered. 

“I mean it.” He sat beside his son and brought him into his lap. Castiel looked up at him, and then back down to the drawing in his hands. “These are beautiful flowers, Castiel. You have chosen great colors and I can tell you have drawn each petal with careful planning.”

Castiel examined his drawing, considering. “Really?” 

Faran nodded. “You have skills.” 

But Castiel wasn’t fully persuaded. “But mine looks nothing like Anna’s. Mine looks like shit.” 

Both angels gasped at the language coming from Castiel’s mouth. 

“Castiel, that is a bad word and it’s not one we use.” Faran scolded. “Who did you hear that word from?” 

“Gabriel had a big one once,” Castiel said innocently. 

Faran sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll go talk to him.” He kissed Castiel head before lifting him off his lap and back beside Anna. “You should keep drawing. Yours may not look like Anna’s but that’s just because you two have different styles. You keep on drawing, and you’ll be great.” 

Castiel nodded, grinning. He trusted his father’s words, knowing that he was _amazing_ at drawing, even better than Anna! Some of Faran’s paintings hung on the walls of their house, and some other people had his art too. He didn’t see him make drawings as much as he used to though. Probably because he was always working… 

\---

The rest of their day carried on as any other weekend would. Faran and his older brothers went to go clear snow, and Anna and Castiel helped Exera make cookies. Castiel liked doing this better because he got to eat the cookie dough off the spoon. Gabriel had tried to stay behind to help them, but he was soon shooed outside with the others. 

Today, they were making sugar cookies. Exera rolled out the cookie dough, and Castiel and Anna got to cut out the shapes they wanted with the cookie cutters. There were all sorts of shapes; stars, hearts, mittens, snowmen, and dinosaurs. And then later after they were made, they were going to put icing on them and sprinkles! 

While the cookies were baking, their mother brought out a puzzle and they all worked on it together. Castiel didn’t understand how their mother could find the right pieces and put them together so quickly. Maybe she had powers. 

“Do you have powers, Exera?” Castiel asked curiously. 

She laughed a little. “Why would I have powers, dear one?” 

He looked up at her. “Because you’re good at puzzles.” 

Exera smiled. “When you do enough puzzles, it gets easier each time.” 

“You must have done lots,” Castiel said with wonder, staring at the jigsaw pieces. She must have done one-hundred to get this good, and that was a lot! Castiel didn’t know if he could do that many puzzles, especially with how hard they were. 

By the time they completed the puzzle, which turned into a beautiful picture of a horse, it was time to get the cookies out of the oven. Castiel and Anna watched as their mother put the cookies on separate trays to cool, and set aside the baking pans. Castiel was careful not to go near them so he wouldn’t burn himself. Once he accidentally touched one with his finger and it really hurt, so now he was extra careful. As the cookies cooled, Exera prepared the icing and put food coloring into in, making blue, pink, green, and yellow icing. Castiel’s wings fluttered happily as he waited. 

Now it was time for the fun part, which was also really messy. Anna and Castiel spread icing onto the cookies with a butter knife, managing to cover both the cookies and themselves with sweet, sugary icing. By the time they finished them all, sprinkles and icing caked the countertops and the stools they were sitting on, some even on the floor. Their mother let them have one for now, and they were very good! Yes, Castiel definitely liked making cookies better than shoveling outside. 

Not too long afterwards, the rest of his family came back from the outdoors. 

“Mmmmh, cookies,” Gabriel licked his lips as he reached for one with the most icing, but his hand was batted away. 

“You don’t get any.” Exera said, crossing her arms. 

“Really?” Gabriel gawked. 

She nodded. “You can go without sugar for a week.”

“Aww c’mon that’s like, telling me I’m not allowed to breathe for a whole week! Do you want me to _die_?” Gabriel extended his wings in exclamation. Their mother just shook her head and walked away. “Is this how you treat _family_?” 

Exera turned around, wings puffed. Castiel and Anna sunk back and watched in silence. “Don’t you _dare_ speak to your mother that way.”

“You’re not really my mother, so what does it matter?” Gabriel sneered. Their mother’s hand rose into the air and she struck his cheek. Anna and Castiel both flinched, but otherwise stayed still and silent. He didn’t like it when she was angry. Why did Gabriel have to make her angry? 

She grabbed ahold of his shirt with both hands and shook him. “Is that really what you think after all that I’ve done for you? I’ve put up your behaviour and treated you like one of my own, yet this is how you act? You’re nothing but an ungrateful little _pest_!” 

“ _Naomi_!” Faran shouted as he entered the room. Exera lowered her hands from Gabriel’s shirt, but he didn’t dare move. Michael and Lucifer stood wide-eyed in the doorway, just as Castiel and Anna were where they stood. “Do you think that is any way to treat our child?” 

“ _Your_ child.” Their mother reminded. Gabriel’s wings gave a small twitch and he looked to the floor. 

Faran’s face darkened, gritting his teeth. “Gabriel, to your room.” His brother ran off in an instant, socked feet slipping on the floor as if he couldn’t get away fast enough. “We need to talk. _Now_.” He addressed to their mother. She followed him to another room without a word, and it wasn’t until they left that Castiel felt like he could finally breathe.

Michael and Lucifer joined them in the kitchen quietly and took a cookie of their own. Castiel caught Lucifer grabbing two, and their eyes met. Lucifer gave him a stern look as if to say ‘do not tell’, and Castiel nodded with understanding. He watched as he ran off with it, wondering if he would get caught. 

Anna and Castiel tasked it upon themselves to clean up the kitchen the best the two little angels could. Maybe it would make Exera happy. Castiel was too small to do much, but he swept the floor while Anna piled the baking pans and other dishes into the sink. As he did this, he thought about what Gabriel and his mother had said. 

Faran had told him once that he wasn’t the real father of Michael and Lucifer, that Exera wasn’t Gabriel’s real mother, and that Anna and him were both Faran’s and Exera’s real kids. It meant that his two older brother had a different father before Faran and Exera met, and Gabriel had a different mother before Faran met Exera. It was a bit confusing to him, and he didn’t fully understand everything. Why couldn’t they just be a family? Instead of thinking about it anymore, he made himself think of something else, like how cool it would be to finally be able to fly on his own.

\---

After the afternoon’s outburst, Castiel and Anna took a short nap, then quietly with their dolls and colored a few more drawings. Faran was taking a nap before he had to go back to work later, so they made sure they were extra quiet. They hadn’t seen Gabriel much for the rest of the day, but they were in Anna’s room for most of the day anyway. 

When suppertime came around, there was little talk at the dining room table. Faran was still asleep, so it was only them and their mother at the table. Gabriel ate quietly across the table, hunched over a little in his seat and hiding the red mark on his cheek with his sleeve. Castiel picked at the food on his plate: mashed potatoes, vegetables, and a special sauce that Exera says has existed since angels were first bound to earth. He didn’t really like it, and he didn’t really like vegetables. Why would he want to eat really old sauce anyway? Wouldn’t it have rotted by now? 

“Why aren’t you eating?” Exera asked. 

“Po-po-ganda.” he replied. 

Exera raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What?” 

“Vegetables are po-po-ganda.” he answered. 

“Vegetables are… propaganda?” She questioned. 

Castiel nodded. “I don’t want it.” 

“Now Castiel, you know the only way you can grow big and strong is to eat them, right?” 

His eyes lit up in recognition. “That’s po-po-ganda!” he stated proudly. 

Exera sighed tiredly. “No, it is not. Now eat your food or you won’t have anything until tomorrow morning.” 

Castiel slouched in his seat and reluctantly picked up a steamed carrot and ate it. Across the table, Gabriel was looking at him with a small smile. Castiel smiled back, and ate the rest of his food with no complaining. 

\---

As evening drew near and the sky returned to darkness, Castiel and Anna began to get ready for bed. Castiel felt so tired after everything that happened throughout the day, but didn’t want to go to sleep. He was already in his pyjamas and had just eaten his bedtime snack, just like his other siblings, except Gabriel. He wasn’t allowed to have one. Castiel felt bad for him when he found him sulking in the living room, reading a picture book on the couch. 

“What are you reading?” Castiel asked, crawling up on the couch and sat right beside him. 

“‘The Ugly Duckling’, a classic.” Gabriel held up the book and stared at the cover. 

Castiel tilted his head and asked, “Can you read it to me?” 

“Who can say no to that cute face? C’mon, come cuddle with you big brother Gabe.” Gabriel shifted his wings to make room for him, and Castiel nuzzled against his arm, resting his head on his shoulder. Gabriel folded his a golden wing over Castiel, and the little angel tugged on it a bit to wrap himself in it a little bit more. His wings were so warm and they smelled distinctly like his older brother, but that wasn’t a bad thing. It was a smell of home, and it made him feel safe. 

He had heard this story lots of times, but that didn’t matter to him. Castiel liked it when people would read stories for him. Soon, he would be able to read too!

Gabriel wrapped an arm around Castiel under his wing and began to read. The story told of a baby duck - a duckling - that his family hated and they were very mean to him. He ran away, and wherever he went, all the animals were mean to him. And then, when he grew up, he turned to be a beautiful swan and everyone liked him. 

“And he lived happily ever after the end.” Gabriel said quickly and shut the book. “Well, that was educational.” he said as he stretched his arms and wings, letting out a yawn that caused Castiel to yawn as well.

“Is it like that in real life?” Castiel asked mid yawn. 

“What, families picking on their weird, ugly kid? Happens _way_ more than you know.” 

Castiel looked up to him. “And then they find a new family when they’re older and beautifuler?” 

Gabriel chuckled. “I don’t think it happens exactly like that.”

“Oh,” Castiel let in a big, sleepy breath. “Can we read another story?” 

Gabriel was about to reply when a call came from the front door. “I’m leaving.” said their father. 

Castiel quickly got up from the couch and ran to his father, giving him a big hug. “Have a good time at work.” 

“And you have a good sleep.” Faran kissed Castiel’s forehead and bade his other children goodbye. Gabriel stayed in the living room, staring as their father waved goodbye and went out the door. Castiel raced for the window, watching as Faran got into his car and gave them all one final wave before he started pulling out of the driveway and drove towards town. It had stopped snowing sometime in the afternoon, which Castiel thought was good because there was already so much of it. Maybe he will go play in it again tomorrow. That would be fun! 

“Alright my two little ones, time for bed.” their mother said. 

“But I don’t want to go to bed yet.” Anna argued. 

“Me too!” Castiel agreed. 

“But you must be so tired after all that fun you had this morning.” Exera exclaimed. 

“Nuh uh.” Anna shook her head, a yawn escaping from her mouth. Castiel found himself yawning as well. 

“Time for bed you two.” their mother said again with authority, ushering them towards the staircase. 

“But they don’t have to sleep yet,” Anna persisted, referring to her older brothers. 

“They will be soon.” 

“But--”

“ _Anael,_ ” Exera warned. 

“Okay,” Anna muttered quietly. Both of the little angels looked down meekly, turning away to do as they were told. Just as they did, a startling gasp came from behind them. They whipped around, and found their mother clutching at her chest and breathing really hard. 

“Exera, are you okay?” Anna asked with alarm, rushing to her mother’s side. She pushed Anna back, her arm out and shaking to keep them back. Their mother stumbled back, hitting the wall with force. A picture fell from the wall, its frame shattering when it hit the floor.

Tears began to form in their mother’s eyes, her lips trembling and moving like she was trying to say something, but nothing was coming out. 

Castiel began to panic. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his small voice shaking. Was Exera hurting? Was she choking? Was she dying? What was wrong? 

“What’s going on?” Michael asked, followed by his two other brothers. As soon as he saw his mother, he rushed to her side, despite her trying to get them all to keep some distance. Castiel was so confused, and he felt his tears prick his eyes. 

“Should we - do we call the ambulance?” Gabriel asked with wide, anxious eyes. 

Michael nodded. “Go do it.” Gabriel quickly scrambled to the phone and began to dial the number. 

“Exera, you have to breathe,” Lucifer said calmly, “like this.” He brought his mother’s shaking hand to his chest. 

“What’s happening to her?” Anna cried. Castiel was just as lost and concerned as she was. 

“Come here,” Michael brought the both of them into the next room just around the corner. “Let’s give her some place.”

“...y-yeah my mom she’s having a heart attack o-or something,” Castiel could hear Gabriel say in English to the other person on phone. “O-okay. Yes she is. Yeah, her chest. N-no, a bit lower. Yes.” The sounds of their mother crying and Lucifer attempting to bring comfort cut through Gabriel’s talking.

“Is she going to be okay?” Castiel whimpered through tears.

“Y-yeah,” Michael said with a nod, but Castiel could tell that he was as unsure as they were. 

“...a-a-are you saying that…” Gabriel’s breath hitched, and relayed their address to the person on the other end of the phone. “o...okay.” He hung up the phone and let out a deep, shaky breath. “They’ll be coming right away.” 

“It’ll be okay,” Lucifer consoled. 

“No,” came brokenly from their mother’s mouth, “i-it won’t it…” 

“What won’t?” Anna asked, running back into the hallway with Castiel and Michael right behind her. 

Their mother looked up at them, still shaking. She looked so sad. “He’s gone.” _Who was gone?_

“N-no no you can’t - you can’t say that,” Gabriel shook his head. “You can’t,” He soon began to cry as well. “ _You can’t_!” 

The color drained from Michael and Lucifer’s faces when they came to realise what had just happened. Lucifer turned back to their mother. “You’re not saying…” 

She put a hand over her mouth and let herself fall to the ground, crying heavier than the little angel had ever heard before. 

“Oh Ma,” Michael’s voice cracked. Why was everyone so upset? 

“What’s the matter?” Anna demanded. “Tell me!” Nobody dared to speak. “ _Tell me_!” Both little angels hadn’t a clue what was going on, sending them both in a fit of tears. 

Not much longer after, an ambulance and a cop car pulled up to the front of the house. They came in without much of a greeting and rushed to towards them. 

A human woman in a police uniform approached them with a gentle smile and paramedics rushed to tend to their mother. “Hi, my name’s Maggie. Let’s go over here and give them some space.” She said to them in English, and lead them away from their mother, just enough to give them some space but still kept in sight. 

“What happened? Is she going to be okay?” Anna asked in the same language, wiping a few tears away as she glanced her mother’s way. 

Maggie nodded with a sure smile. “She will be okay.” Castiel wasn’t sure if he believed her, but she was a police officer, so she must have been telling the truth. 

“But _what happened_? Why won’t anyone _tell_ me?” She was frantic. 

Maggie’s smile fell a little, looking away as she tried to find the right thing to say. 

“Dad died, Anael, that’s what happened.” Gabriel admitted as he fought back tears.

“Wh-what?” Anna sputtered. Both her and Castiel’s eyes grew wide with shock. 

“Faran’s _dead_?” Castiel asked in Enochian, the language the tiny angel understood best. 

His older brother looked to their mother, face twisted. He could see him begin to crumble, see him trying so hard not to believe what he had just said. But with the way Exera was crying maybe… was he? How could he? He had been there waving goodbye only a little bit ago. 

“I need to find him, I need to--” 

“Shh, ma’am, we found him. He’s safe now.” One of the paramedics said, a beta angel. 

Exera shook her head. “N-no, _please_! I can’t feel him!” she cried. “I can’t feel him,”

“We got you,” the other came and wrapped a blanket over her shoulders and held her as she cried.

\---

Everything that came after was nothing but a blur in Castiel’s memory. It was so much that happened in such a little amount of time. 

A social worker was living with now, _until Exera adjusts to the loss_ , she had told him. Her name was Bethaniel, a kind alpha with big gray/black wings. She took care of them and Exera while she was sick, or ‘adjusting’, as Bethaniel had said. She made food for them, gave him baths, and held them when they cried. She was nice and smelled like flowers.

It was already the middle of the week, and none of them had gone to school yet. It was strange having his siblings home everyday and having someone other than Exera take care of him. The house was filled with the sense of sadness, and Castiel didn’t like it. It made his chest feel icky. Gabriel was too quiet, and Lucifer was distant. Michael helped Bethaniel out a bit and Anna still played with him sometimes, but they too were sad. Castiel was sad too. 

He often found himself staring out of the big window in the living room, waiting, just as he was now. It had snowed more since that day, but they hadn’t gone out to play in it. Well, yesterday they had, Castiel supposed, but that was only because Bethaniel told them to because fresh air was good for them. 

“He’s not coming back, Cassie.” Lucifer said from behind him. “He’s dead.” 

“...I know,” 

“Then who are you looking for?” 

“What if he comes back?” Castiel said quietly, small voice wavering. 

“He’s not coming back!” snapped Lucifer. Castiel flinched and looked to the floor.

“Lucifer, there’s not need to yell.” Benathiel scolded with a gentle tone. “Come, we can--” 

“Don’t touch me.” Lucifer said coldly, and left the room without looking at either of them. 

Castiel sniffled back a few tears, and turned back to look out the window. Faran died in a car accident, he had heard them say. He was hit by a big semi truck, and died moments after. The semi driver had passed out when he hit him, and he was now recovering in the hospital. How could he was still alive when Faran wasn’t? It wasn’t fair. It just _wasn’t_. He just wanted his faran back. 

\---

Their mother began to leave her room more often by the end of the week, and even spent a little bit of time with Castiel and his siblings. He knew she was still very sad. She helped Bethaniel with laundry and cleaning a bit, but she went back to bed right after that. She must have been tired. Bethaniel said that she would be staying with them for one more week, and that by then Exera would be feeling better. Castiel hoped so. 

It was a Friday night, just after supper. Everyone was told to take baths and showers tonight because tomorrow was Faran’s funeral. Anna and Castiel convinced Bethaniel to let them have a bath together, which is something they did often. She also said it was okay if they had some bubbles and play with toys! The little angels races up the stairs to the bathroom where Bethaniel was already filling the tub. 

“Did you put the bubbles in yet?” Anna asked. 

Bethaniel nodded. “It’s getting pretty bubbly. You two ready to go in?” 

“Yes!” Castiel exclaimed. 

“Alright, let’s get you two undressed.” She knelt down and helped Castiel out of his clothes. He could do most of it himself because he was four, but it was tricky to get to the buttons under his wings. She helped Anna as well, and soon, they were ready to jump in the tub. Well, almost. Anna grabbed a few of the toys they have just for bathtime and threw them in the tub, making bubbles fly up into the air. Castiel giggled. 

“You got water _everywhere_!” Bethaniel gasped playfully, making them laugh. “C’mon, in the tub you go.” She held their hands to sturdy them as they put in one leg, and then the other. Castiel sat down amongst the bubbles right away, enjoying the water’s warmth. His wings gave a little flutter, tiny primaries swishing under the water and against the walls of the tub. Quickly, he grabbed for the nearest toy he could find at the surface of the water; a purple shark. Anna grabbed a toy gold fish, and soon busy playing and splashing amongst the bubbles. 

Bethaniel helped with washing their hair and wings, which was his favorite part, besides getting to play with toys and bubbles. He loved how the sudsy shampoo felt in his hair, and the gentle touch of fingers and warm water between his small, delicate feathers. It made him feel nice. 

While Bethaniel helped Anna wash herself, they continued to play and talk with their temporary caretaker. 

“Will you come with us to the funeral tomorrow?” Castiel asked, not looking up from the shark in his hand. 

“Yes,” Benathiel replied as she washed Anna’s light tawny wings, “I’ll be driving you there too.” 

“I’ve never been to a funeral before.” Anna mentioned. 

“Me neither,” Castiel said. 

“All will be well,” Bethaniel reassured. “There will be singing, and flowers--” 

“And fire?” Anna cut in, wide-eyed. 

“There will be, yes. But it’s nothing to be afraid of, little one.” Bethaniel comforted, running her fingers through Anna’s feathers before she poured another bucket of water onto them to wash out the remaining soap. 

Their caretaker changed the subject to something more cheerful once she sensed their moods dropping, and they were soon back to playing happily in the bathtub. 

\---

The morning of the funeral was filled with silence. Castiel’s older siblings quietly got themselves ready as their mother did the same, and fussed with their hair and clothing until it was just right. Anna was wearing her favorite green dress with a big velvet bow on the back. She looked very pretty in it. He was sure that Faran would think the same too. 

Castiel himself was wearing black slacks that were very uncomfortable and a fancy white blouse. “I don’t wanna wear this.” he complained. 

“You have nothing else, Castiel. That’s what you’re wearing.” Exera said with noted tiredness as she fastened a necklace around her neck. 

“But I don’t like it.” He pulled at the collar of his shirt in discomfort. 

Before his mother could reply, Bethaniel began to lead him away. “You look very handsome, little one. Let’s go find you a nice pair of shoes.” The dress shoes she grabbed were the smallest they had, yet still too big for him; another hand-me-down from Gabriel. She helped him put them on and tied the laces into little tight bows. If it weren’t for the laces, the shoes would fall right off his little feet. 

“I look like a penguin.” Gabriel said when he joined them by the door. 

“A very good-looking penguin.” Bethaniel smirked.

“See, Luci? She gets me.” Gabriel said and nudged his brother. A small smile was seen on Lucifer’s face as he gave his head a little shake.

When they were all ready to go, the angels piled into their van. Gabriel sat in between Anna and Castiel in the back, Michael and Lucifer sat in the bucket seats, and their mother sat in the passenger seat while Bethaniel drove them into town. 

Castiel stared out the window, watching the bare trees and snow covered spruces pass by slowly as they made their way down the gravel road. A white rabbit ran across fresh snowmobile tracks in the ditch. He watched as it hopped into the treeline, its pelt blending in with its surroundings. Just as quickly as he saw it, it was gone, disappearing from sight. 

The sight of wildlife was very common where they lived. Sometimes deer and rabbits would come into their garden and eat their vegetables, but Castiel was okay with that because he didn’t like vegetables. As long as the animals didn’t go hungry, he was okay with them eating as much as they wanted.

It took a little under ten minutes for them to reach the town, and barely a few minutes until they arrived at the funeral home. They got out of the van, and were met with a cool breeze. Castiel lifted a small wing to shield himself from the cold and pulled up his scarf. 

The warmth of the funeral home was a welcome, but that wasn’t the only thing that greeted them. A beta angel welcomed them, and brought them to a fair sized room filled with tables and chairs. Upon a mantle at the front of the room was a picture of their father, one that had been taken of his a year ago. He looked so happy and alive.

“Is he gonna come?” Castiel asked his mother as he looked about the room. “Where is he?”

Exera smiled sadly and placed a hand on his shoulder. “He isn’t coming back, Castiel.” 

“But he’s here, isn’t he?” 

“His body is, but his spirit isn’t.” 

Castiel struggled to understand. “But--” 

He was interrupted when friends of the family, the Caphs, entered the room, giving them their condolences as each held a red rose. “May his light shine ever bright.” 

“Thank you,” Exera took a few steps toward them and cupped the back of her friend’s head, resting her forehead against hers in a familiar greeting. 

“If you ever need anything Naomi, just let us know.” Mr. Caph said. 

“I appreciate your kindness.” His mother said quietly, bringing him into that same embrace she had with Mrs. Caph. 

More people showed up not long after, all saying the same words that the Caphs had when they arrived, something that was often said at funerals, Castiel soon realised. A few of the adults came and talked to them, asking them how they were and giving them pitying looks. He gave them only small replies, and grew impatient. He just wanted to see his father already. 

His grandfather walked in without a word, an expression Castiel couldn’t place worn on his face. He was an alpha angel, just like his father had been. Castiel hadn’t seen his grandfather in a long time, and ran up to him, throwing his small arms around his waist. He ran a calloused hand through his grandson’s hair in silence. The little angel looked up at his grandfather, finding that he looked much like his father, but older. Even their wings were similar in color. 

As soon as his siblings saw who had just come in, they were all coming to greet him as well. 

“Oh, dear ones,” their grandfather finally said after moments of silence. The children only hugged him tighter. 

“I missed you, _Edoran_.” Gabriel murmured into his grandfather’s chest. 

“I missed you too,” He kissed the top of Gabriel’s head, eyes shining with unshed tears. 

Shortly after some more of his parents’ friends and family arrived, Exera beckoned Castiel and his siblings over to her and they all walked out a door that lead them outside. They walked out into a yard enclosed by a brick wall that was tall enough that nobody could look over it. Tall, thick spruce trees bordered around the wall, giving a further sense of privacy. In the middle of the yard was a large slab of cement with fine designs and Enochian words that Castiel couldn’t read carved into it. On top was a neat pile of logs set underneath a long, wooden box. _Must be where the fire’s going to be,_ Castiel thought.

He followed his family closer to pyre, their footsteps in the snow being the only sound that filled his ears. No one spoke, not even the birds. 

Their mother handed them each a white rose without saying a word. Bethaniel had explained to him and Anna last night what they were to do once the received one. They just had to wait. 

An alpha angel named Mordecai stepped forward, a single red rose in his hands. He was one of his father’s bestest friends. “The passing of Ezekiel Nova comes to all of us as a devastating shock. It was only a week ago that we were working side by side.” He smiled weakly at the memory, and took a moment to regain his composure. “He was a man that put all others before even thinking of himself. There was not a selfish bone in his body. Wherever he went, kindness followed. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for him.” The angel stood in silence, mind drifting to the past. A harsh breeze made its way past the thick cover of trees, causing Castiel to shiver. “His example is one we should all follow,” Mordecai continued. “He will be greatly missed.” He let out a shuttering sigh and looked to the pyre. “Each time we look to the night sky, we will be reminded of how a life is meant to be lived, and that not all is lost to us. May your light shine ever bright.” 

“May your light shine ever bright.” the others repeated all together, even his mother and older brothers said it. 

The other angels began to sing softly, the tune filled with sorrow and grief. Exera began to walk towards the pyre, her children following right behind her. Castiel and Anna were guided to stand on the step, just giving them enough height to see the top of the wooden box. 

“Is Faran in there?” asked Anna in a quiet tone with both curiosity and sadness. 

“Yes,” Exera answered distantly. She placed her rose on top of the box, and his siblings did the same. Castiel put his on of theirs, wishing Faran was here with them, beside them, placing a flower down as well. Their mother spoke hushed words under her breath, stroking the wooden box with a shaking hand before she backed away, leading her children back to the spot they were standing at before. 

Castiel grandfather was the next to place a white rose on his father’s wooden box, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He spared a look at his grandchildren, but he would not look at their mother. 

The song went on, and after Castiel’s family gave their flowers and said their words, the others approached the pyre and placed theirs around the ones already set. He wrapped his wings around himself, more out of an act of comfort than protecting himself from the cold. He wanted nothing more than to be held, to cry in the arms of his beloved parents, but how could he do that when one was in a box and the other showed no sign of acknowledging him? His mother kept her arms folded tightly across her chest, eyes unfocused as she cried silently. 

The same beta angel who greeted them before walked towards them at a slow pace with a flaming torch in her hand. She approached their mother, making sure she saw her before coming too close. Exera brushed a tear from her face and took the torch, staring at the warm flame for a moment before going to the pyre one last time. Then, she put the flame into an opening beneath the box in a swift motion, taking a few steps back as the fire caught on. She walked back towards her family once all the logs beneath burned bright. The box above caught quickly after that. Castiel wondered if Faran could feel the flames. It was within this moment that the little angel realised that Faran would never return to them, he wouldn’t teach him how to fly, he could never hold him in his arms and call him his dear one. 

As soon as the song ended, another began. The tune was soft and gentle, one without words. It was one Castiel heard before, and he knew it was old, very old. A chill ran down his spine as their voices rose, reigniting that mixture of anger and sadness that he couldn’t get rid of. 

Gabriel cried quietly into Michael shoulder, his body shaking. Lucifer stared with a hard expression as the flames rose, and Anna clung to their mother’s coat. Castiel sniffled as tears of his own began to form, retreating to his sister’s side and holding her close. Together, they watched as the smoke rose to the grey sky and beyond. 

\---

The night came, just as it did everyday. Castiel was exhausted, and he didn’t argue when Bethaniel said it was bedtime. He sluggishly walked up the stairs to his room and put on his pyjamas, not having the energy to it any other way. Today had drained the omega, and all he could think about right now was how much he wanted to sleep. 

Anna suddenly barged into his room with excitement. “Cassie, come look!” 

“What?” the little boy asked before following her out of his room and down the stairs. What was she so excited about? At the living room window stood Bethaniel, and all three of his older brothers. 

Bethaniel turned and smiled down at them. “Come, look.” She picked up Castiel and brought him to the window. Castiel gasped in awe when he saw what everyone was looking at. 

Vibrant lights danced in the night sky, like glowing ribbons. “What is that?” Castiel asked. 

“Northern lights!” Gabriel exclaimed. 

“I want to go outside and see them.” Michael said. 

Bethaniel grinned. “Let’s all go out. Come, let’s get our jackets on.” She didn’t need to say it twice. All of them rushed to the closet, quickly putting on their jackets, hats, scarves and mittens. Castiel forgot he was that he was tired very fast, now filled with excitement. He shoved on his boots and went to leave the house with his siblings, but was soon stopped by their caretaker. “Let me help you.” She zipped up his jacket and tucked his sleeves into his mittens, then wrapped the scarf around his neck better than he had it before. 

Right when she was done, Castiel ran outside to his siblings, finding them all sitting on the porch, feet dangling from the edge. He squeezed in between Anna and Lucifer, their wings brushing against one another. 

“Wow,” Castiel breathed as he looked up to the sky. They looked even more amazing outside! He watched the colorful lights as the moved freely across the sky. He’s never seen anything as amazing as this in his entire life! 

The five of them sat there in awe, silently watching the show. 

“You think he’s up there?” Gabriel asked suddenly, eyes still on the sky. 

“Well, angels are often said to be stars,” Michael said, “stars that fell from the heavens, and the only way to return there is through death.” 

“Yeah, if you lived a life as God had commanded.” Lucifer added, “otherwise your ass goes straight to Hell and you turn into a demon, just like the third of the angels who fell the first time around.” Castiel frowned. He didn’t want to go to Hell and turn into a demon.

“Faran’s not a demon, is he?” Anna asked, concerned. Castiel hoped not.

“Hell nope. He’s probably a full-fledged, Biblical angel now, doing whatever the ancient angels did in Heaven.” Gabriel said. 

“Like ones with powers?” Castiel asked with interest. 

“Oh yeah, they can do a bunch of really cool stuff.” Gabriel smirked. “And some of them have a bunch of wings and animal heads and weird body parts.” 

“Do you think Faran has a bunch of wings and animal faces and weird body parts?” Anna inquired. 

“Maybe,” Lucifer mused, face falling to the neutral expression he had all week. “If you really believe in all that stuff.” 

“What, and you don’t? How else can you explain why we’re here and how ancient angels are recorded throughout history way before the fall?” Gabriel questioned. 

“I dunno,” was all Lucifer gave as an answer. Gabriel shrugged, returning his eyes to the beautiful lights in the sky. 

Castiel wondered what it was like to be an ancient angel, if he would have special powers and strange body parts. Would he still be a _Third_? Would his wings be big enough to fly? He hoped so. 

They stayed outside at gazed at the sky until they became chilled from the cold. By this time, Castiel’s exhaustion caught up with him. He had almost fallen asleep on Lucifer’s shoulder when they finally all decided to go back inside. Slowly, they got up from their spots on the porch. Castiel took one last look at the sky, watching as the lights said to him their final farewell. A strange sense came over him suddenly. 

Everything was going to be different after today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Edited on December 28th, 2016 (at 1:30 am so pls forgive me)
> 
> And there we have it. I'm actually the oldest sibling of my family, so if anything from his POV is off, let me know. Along with how a child of that age's thought process works - I tried reflecting back to my memories of being that age or so. Or how a child of that age handles death, I've only had recent experience in death of a close-to-the-family loved one. The only ones I remember as a kid or a younger person, I was not close to the person or knew who they were so it was just like well, that's unfortunate. But yes, if you feel like something's off or awkward, let me know. I want to be as accurate as I can, and also my writing gets away on me sometimes and I end up putting weird dialogue or awkward situations and I don't really notice them until weeks/months later and I'm like why did I write that why did I make people read this.
> 
> And please, let me know what you think! Tell me of the things you like, what you dislike. I put my entire heart into this, and feedback or just general comments help so much to show that I didn't do this all for nothing. I feel like I wrote this all in vain tbh. I hate being that person but please if you liked this at all please comment... 
> 
> Anything specific you'd like to see next?

**Author's Note:**

> Would you like to know more about a minor character? Leave us a comment of who you'd like to see more of!
> 
>  
> 
> [Playlist](http://8tracks.com/snorkletuckington/twilight-is-for-the-dying-stars)  
> [Angel Playlist](http://8tracks.com/larabesque/olapireta-i-lap-a-page-aoiveae)


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